Friday, 30 October 2015

Figures - Unravel

Article by KevW

It can be a wise move to not just rush into things. Many bands form and then release a debut single or EP within a couple of months, when really they'd be better left to work on their sound and unveil themselves to the world when they've gelled properly and had time to build an identity and stronger material. Essex trio Figures formed around 18 months ago and will put out their first EP, 'Unravel', on November 16th (a demo of abrasive, mathy, tempo-changing and atmospheric EP track 'NScessity' was made available as a free download on Bandcamp this summer) and it's not just your average first foray into the world of music; you can tell that much care, attention and thought has gone into building these tracks, with the aforementioned 'NScessity' being a prime example.

That's perhaps not even the best song here though, as the group showcase a wide-ranging set of influences and prove to be a tight-knit unit. 'Wigourney Seaver' has a '90s alt-rock vibe that recalls the likes of dEUS and AC Acoustics, but perhaps with sharper edges and a more contemporary sound. Regular verse-chorus-verse formats are largely done away with for a more experimental approach, but without ever being too try-hard. The reverberating, post-rock style intro to 'Modulation' showcases this well, as it drifts by with a haunted ambiance and touches upon prog whilst doing so, gradually building into something of stature by switching to a much harder sound. The result is quite epic. As that track shudders to a sudden halt, the seemingly more accessible beginning of 'The Marginal Guideline Effect' comes into view, and this too proves to be something of a journey. Pensive and slightly wistful at first, space-rock starts to creep in and that mathy edge they've shown before joins it to forge a compelling, shifting and innovative finale. They do say the best things come to those who wait...